Just before last year's gardening season, my neighbor with big dogs moved away. I MISS THOSE DOGS! They were behind a fence, but my big tree is right next to the fence and half of the tree hangs over into their yard. I had no problem with squirrels.

Now I do. Last year, they began by eating all my new tulip bulbs, then moved on to the tomatoes. They had a knack for choosing the ripest, most perfect tomato, taking a bite or two, then tossing it on the ground.

This year, they're just digging holes everywhere. I've been trying Shake Away - I had excellent luck with that a couple of years ago when I was invaded by rabbits. They left completely. (Of course it didn't hurt that a baby rabbit got through the fence and one of the dogs killed it - that was the fiasco where my neighbor buried the rabbit in MY garden, then his wife made him confess.)

So I've been using Shake Away again, but we've had so much rain that I put some down, then it rains the next day and washes it away. It's just not working. There's a different kind of shake away, for squirrels in particular, that are packets you hang on a stick or something, and they're rain proof and last 90 days. I'm trying those next.

My other idea, to do in tandem with the Shake Away packs, is this: what about putting out a regular supply of peanuts and corn a few houses down? Say, at night, drive through the alley and leave a pile? Everyone has many trees, and my hope is they would think the neighbors have a good food supply, then move there. My neighbors don't garden.

Would this work at all, or would it just bring in more squirrels?

I'm desperate, but don't have the heart to kill them or trap them. I'd sooner adopt them as pets.